Volunteers cleaning out “muck” from lake on Pittsburgh’s North Shore

PITTSBURGH — A cleanup effort took place Tuesday at Lake Elizabeth in Allegheny Commons Park on Pittsburgh’s North Shore.

Volunteers participated in “What the Muck?!” to clean up the lake, which was drained.

Each year, the Department of Public Works puts together the cleanup event, which is now in its fifth year and led by the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. Allegheny CleanWays also teamed up for the event.

A lot of raking is needed to get rid of debris at the bottom of the lake.

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“Over the course of the year, a lot of organic material collects at the bottom of the lake from the leaves falling as well as trash that blow through. We also have a significant goose population here, so they leave behind their droppings and all that gets together and creates this disgusting mucky material at the bottom of the lake, which is what we’re cleaning out today,” Erin Tobin, from the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, said.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s event is being split between Tuesday and Thursday, with the number of volunteers capped. Everyone who participates needs to sign waivers and wear masks.

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